Heartbreak
by TwelveTurquoise12
Summary: When Jack had been taken away from her, Red thought she experienced heartbreak. But when Froggy was gone, Red knew what true heartbreak meant. RedXFroggy oneshot. No spoilers for TLOS 5. Please read and review!


**Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognise. Some quotes are from Chris Colfer's** _ **Beyond the Kingdoms.**_

* * *

" _CHARLIE, WAIT! COME BACK! PLEASE COME BACK!"_

Red screamed with all her might, tears streaming down her cheeks as she crawled down the aisle. Her tears made it hard for her to say anything, but she still tried to scream. Her arms and legs became numb as she forced herself to go to Froggy.

He never looked back. Red couldn't believe Froggy was abandoning her for that… that goat! Her heart smashed into thousands of tiny pieces. The world began to spin in front of her eyes. _It couldn't be true… he's not leaving me! Charlie isn't going to leave!_

It pained her more than anything to see her beloved Froggy linking arms with Morina. Little did she know, Froggy was in pain too. It devastated him to know that Red was devastated because of _him._ No matter what would happen, he couldn't let any harm come to Red. His love for her was too great.

 _Red.. stay safe._

Tears filled his big frog eyes he and Morina were about to exit. Red screamed herself hoarse, but couldn't do anything to stop them.

"NO! CHARLIE, _NO_!" Red cried hysterically. "No… no…" she sobbed.

* * *

Red woke up with a jolt. This was fourth consecutive night she had the same nightmare. She was trembling from head to toe, and her face was wet with tears.

When she returned from Morina's lair, Red become very depressed. Her face was an emotionless mask, but everyone knew better. Red had been _destroyed_ by the fact that Froggy was trapped in a magic mirror for what could be _forever._ She was so wrecked, she didn't know what to feel. Her heart was hollow. It was as if life was sucked out of her. She barely spoke, barely moved and sat there as still as a statue.

Hagetta and the Lost Boys tried to comfort her, but Red pushed them all away. She needed time by herself to think.

Red knew she looked terrible. Her pale face was blotchy and puffy. Her blue eyes were constantly bloodshot. Her hair lost its usual sheen. She didn't bother to put on makeup.

But she didn't care.

All she cared was Froggy.

Red thought about the time when she thought she loved Jack. She did everything to please him- she put on her best dresses, smothered herself with makeup. She offered him riches, money, and status. But Jack refused. Instead, he chose Goldilocks- a plain woman, who didn't have a lot of money and was a fugitive.

At first, Red didn't know why.

But when she met Froggy, she got her answer. Jack didn't just see people's appearance, he was looking for inner beauty. Froggy was a frog man, but he was the kindest person Red had ever met. He also saw past her natural beauty, and saw who she really was- without makeup, without facades.

When Jack had been taken away from her, Red thought she experienced heartbreak. But when Froggy was gone, Red knew what true heartbreak meant.

It meant that you couldn't bear to be apart from your lover, soulmate, whatever you call them. Red couldn't care less. But she felt like a part of her was forcibly ripped from her. He was all she could think about. He was her other half. Without him, she wasn't complete.

Because even if Jack left her, he was happy. He found his true love. And therefore, Red was happy for him and Goldilocks. But when Froggy left, he wasn't happy. And neither was Red. The two were torn apart like a paper ripped in the middle. No matter how they tried, they couldn't be together once more. Like ripped paper, they couldn't mend back to one original piece of paper. It was near impossible to get Froggy out of the mirror.

The situation seemed so hopeless. It seemed like Red was waking up from a nightmare only to find herself in another nightmare. It was an endless cycle of depression and devastation.

Red sighed and looked up. The Lost Boys were sleeping next to her, snoring gently. She smiled bittersweetly at the peaceful sight. Red absentmindedly stroked their hair.

She never thought her temporary sons would give her such precious advice. It was just another reminder to tell Red not to judge people by just their appearance. She was kicking herself for not figuring it earlier. Now she thought about it, she wondered if she really did love him. If she loved him, why she wasn't that affected when he first left? Why didn't she immediately organize a search for him, or just barge down Morina's house?

 _Silly, don't think about things like that_ , Red scolded herself. But still that thought troubled her.

Hagetta was awake and silently observing Red. The young woman was sullen and pale. It looked like Froggy's absence affected her more than anyone of them thought.

A lot of people used to think that Red chose Froggy because he was handsome when he was in human form or that he was from royalty. But her closest friends knew the truth. Red, who used to be vain and cared a lot about her appearance, was surprised that Froggy, having the appearance of a frog, dared to show his face.

When Red was rejected by Jack, she slowly understood why they all thought she was narcissistic and arrogant. It made her feel terrible because no one seemed to like her. When Bo Peep challenged her for the throne, she was appalled and hurt at the number of people who wanted her gone.

Red tried to change. She listened to the people's complaints. She stood up for her kingdom when they were threatened by Ezmia. But yet, they still chose Bo Peep over her. Red remembered that she had been mean to the Bailey twins at first, and wondered if they also didn't like her as Jack and Goldilocks used to. Sometimes she felt very much alone, while the twins and their friends happily conversed with each other.

But Froggy stood by her. Froggy was always there for her to talk to, and a shoulder to cry on. He was devoted to her even with her shortcomings. He saw her pride as confidence.

And she liked his warm, polite personality. The two evened out each other very well, Red with her confidence and Froggy who was afraid of showing his face, Froggy with his gentleness and politeness and Red's dramatic poses and sass. Froggy let Red read his literature books and aided her with ruling the kingdom. Red couldn't be more grateful, even if she didn't show it.

Someone might ask Froggy when he loved Red, the narcissistic queen, who proposed to him once she knew that he was king. Froggy's answer was simple.

"Some might see Red as prideful, but I saw confidence. It was something I don't really have, and she showed me that even a beautiful girl can love an ugly frog. She gave me hope and confidence. She may have her shortcomings, but she is a good person at heart." Froggy would smile.

Hagetta sighed, feeling sorry for the young woman. She wasn't the first case of heartbreak she encountered. Hagetta only hoped she wouldn't have to use her witchcraft to help her.

* * *

After Red spent the first few days sobbing her heart out, refusing to believe what she saw, she slowly awakened to the harsh reality. Heart broken beyond measure, she spent hours sitting and thinking about Froggy and what they used to do together. Waves of nostalgia and pain washed over her. She had tried to stay so optimistic and strong when Froggy had been first taken from her, trying to let it go, but it had worn her out. All the heartbreak she had sealed deep inside her came gushing out, along with the fresh hopelessness when she discovered Froggy imprisoned in a magic mirror. Sometimes, she thought she would never be happy again.

The Lost Boys were worried about her. They offered to do her bidding, but she had nothing she wanted them to do, except to leave her alone.

Red kept on wondering why didn't she try to get to Froggy earlier. What if the prince, _her_ prince, lost faith in her? What if he thought she didn't love him enough? Or even worse, what if he actually thought Morina was better than her? It was too much for Red, and she suddenly howled loudly, startling everyone, and she buried herself in the thick folds of her dress.

She had never felt more useless in her whole life. She could do nothing, absolutely _nothing_ to help Froggy. She began to think she really was burden to the Bailey twins, and they would be better off without her.

Slowly, slowly, her sorrow and helplessness morphed into envy. Red thought about Jack and Goldilocks. The two were a power couple, destroying any obstacle that came to their path. She saw how Jack's face brightened when he received Goldilocks' message telling him to meet her. She saw how Goldilocks smiled more around Jack than anyone else. Their love was so pure and indestructible. Red was so envious. Not because Goldilocks had Jack, it was because they were always together. They were always there for each other.

That was when Red wished with all her might that Froggy was back by her side. There were so many things they could so together: host a tea party, reading in the library, discussing Shakespeare (or "Shakyfruit" as Red called it), _get married_ , and much more. She missed the little moments, when Froggy called her "darling", when he looked at her with those glossy eyes, when he would gently hold her hand when she was nervous. She regretted not treasuring her time with him more when he was still there.

A couple days later, Goldilocks and Jack returned to the cave, with no news of the twins. It only sent everyone's spirits lower. They spotted Red crouched in a tiny ball, staring sullenly at the floor.

" _Red_?" Goldilocks asked. "What are you doing here? Do you know where are the twins?"

Red shifted her body so she was facing away from Jack and Goldilocks. She moved stiffly if she had been sitting there for years and haven't moved.

Goldilocks and Jack shared a glance. Something was terribly wrong with her.

"She was sent to guard the book in Neverland," Hagetta explained with a worried expression as she glanced at the young woman. "She temporarily adopted the Lost Boys," she gestured to them, "and then she returned here to save King Charlie, but…" she trailed off, not wanting to say anymore.

A feeling of dread crept through the couple. That was when they noticed Red had black circles under eyes and her normally immaculate hair was a mess, resembling a bird's nest, like she hadn't brushed it for ages. Jack frowned. Even after Red stopped loving him, she still cared much about her appearance. Seeing her so different from her usual self scared him.

Goldilocks and Jack sat on either side of Red, trying to talk to her. Red seemed determined to ignore them, staring continuously at the dull stone floor.

"Is there something wrong?" Goldilocks placed her hand on Red's shoulder cautiously. Through all the years she'd known Red, she had never seen her so… so _depressed._ She wasn't like that when she lost her throne, nor when she lost Jack.

There were a couple seconds of silence. Then Red suddenly looked up at Goldilocks, a strange glimmer in her bloodshot eyes.

"Well, would you be alright if the love of your life has been taken away?" Red barked harshly, voice a bit hoarse from days of not using. "And now he's sealed permanently in a stupid magic mirror by… by that b- big bellied toad eyed _goat_!" Red shrieked, deranged, like someone who had just escaped from an asylum. "She imprisoned him forever! It's impossible to get him out! Did you hear?! I'll never, _ever_ get him back again! Never, never, neveeeeerrr-"

"Red, we heard you the first time," Goldilocks smiled awkwardly in an attempt to console Red. Red didn't stop. "I absolutely despise that bitch! I hate her even more than the Enchantress, Bo Peep, even _you_!" she ranted, tears coming to her eyes. "She should die! I'll take great satisfaction watching her body slowly burrrrrnn…" she slurred. The events of the past week had taken their toll on her, and she was slowly losing her sanity.

Goldilocks reached out her arms and hugged Red. Red just sobbed hysterically, burying her face in Goldilocks' shoulder. Jack also wrapped his arms around Red and the three of them stayed like that for a while. Gradually, Red's cries stopped, replaced by sniffing.

Goldilocks and Jack were so happy, they were married, they were about to start a family, they had each other. Now everytime Red saw them, a bittersweet feeling rose inside her. She wondered if they would say she deserved the ordeal, as they both didn't like Red, at least until a few years back. But instead, they comforted her, pitied her, and made up the many years of friendship they lost due to Red's foolishness. This made Red feel a bit better, that her friends didn't abandon her.

For the rest of the day, Jack and Goldilocks stayed by Red's side faithfully. Red seemed to have gotten better, as she either stayed completely quiet or ranted angrily about "1000 Ways to Kill the Goat". There was no in between. Hagetta and the Lost Boys were relieved to see Red talk again, but also worried that she would turn into a psychopath.

"Red?" Jack asked, after Red told them her idea to tie Morina on her watermill and put crocodiles in the river so when the windmill was spun Morina would slap against the water continuously and the crocodiles would eat her.

"What?" the irritated queen snapped. She was really moody, nearly as emotional as Goldilocks but she wasn't even pregnant.

"Don't you think that's a bit creepy?" Jack asked hesitatingly. "I mean, we know you hate Morina- _ahem_ the goat, but you don't have to go that extreme." Red had forbidden all of them to say Morina's name.

"Do you think Froggy would be happy if his queen was a murderer?" Goldilocks chimed in.

"Well, he isn't coming back, so I don't think he would even care," Red grumbled. "Now there's no way to get Charlie out I might as well give up and turn to making the goat pay."

There was a beat of silence.

"Red, we're going to save him. It's only a matter of time," Jack said slowly.

"No, we can't." Red argued stubbornly.

"Red, how can you lose hope so easily?" Goldilocks yelled, suddenly getting angry. "Have some faith in your king!"

"It's not like that!" Red howled. "It's just… just if we _really_ can't get him out, and I still kept on believing he would, that would just destroy me. I would be so disappointed, so I'm just trying to get myself to accept my fate, oh my terrible, _terrible_ fate!" she cried dramatically.

"We will save Froggy one day," Goldilocks said confidently. "After all, fairy tales have happy endings, right?"

"I'm pretty sure Froggy won't like you sitting there and moping for the rest of your life," Jack pointed out. "Gone or not, he would have wanted you to be happy. That's why he sacrificed himself for you. He values your safety over his."

"You're right!" Red yelled, standing up suddenly as if she was struck by a bolt of lightning. "I have to stay happy!" Her words echoed around the cave as she punched her fist in the air. Goldilocks and Jack looked happy to see Red optimistic again. But slowly, her smile froze, and she let her fist down. "But how can I be happy without Charlie?" Red sat down dejectedly, and buried herself into her dress.

* * *

Far off, in a misty, foggy chamber, Froggy placed his webbed hands on the mirror, the only thing he could see.

Morina strode in front of the mirror on the other side and glared at Froggy, her flawless face scrunched in disgust.

"Still sobbing about your pathetic girlfriend?" she snarked. Then her voice turned honeyed, but that was just cover-up for her inner, poisonous nature.

"Cheer up, Charlie. That stupid queen wasn't worth it. You love _me_ now, Charlie." She smirked at him. Froggy was disgusted. "It was probably for the best if you two got separated. She was just using you to be royalty again. You'll be happy with me."

Morina walked away, head held high. Froggy sighed, his lifeless eyes darting across the room containing lifeless bodies.

" _But how can I be happy without Red?_ "

* * *

 **A/N: I am absolute trash for my ships. Also, if you have written fanfic for Land of Stories please post it! This fandom deserves more!**

 **(PS: If you have oneshot ideas you can tell me in your reviews or PM me)**


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